. New Delhi: Slamming the rejection of the nomination form of Meenakshi Natarajan, Congress told Election Commission Wednesday that there is no criminal case pending against the Rajya Sabha nominee, and urged it to overturn the returning officer’s order in MP.“It is like saying two plus two is seven, not even five. It is an egregious, unlawful order, and it should be set aside immediately,” Abhishek Singhvi said, adding that the RO’s order strikes at the heart of democracy and the Constitution.No criminal case, EC can overturn RO order as in past cases: SinghviAn AICC delegation led by general secretary K C Venugopal, lawyer-MPs Singhvi, Vivek Tankha, and Randeep Surjewala, among others, met EC.Singhvi said EC has powers under Article 324 of the Constitution to overturn the RO’s order, and it should be done immediately.The top lawyer said Section 33(A) of the Representation of People’s Act states that a candidate has to disclose only those cases that have a punishment of over two years and in which the charges have been framed, adding that charges are framed by a judge in the judicial process. In case of Natarajan, Singhvi said it is a private complaint which can be baseless, and which the magistrate may or may not take cognisance of. “Natarajan has just received a notice to come to the court and tell why cognisance should not be taken,” he added.The Rajya Sabha MP said without cognisance, no criminal case exists in law. He said subsequently, there has to be a chargesheet and then charges have to be framed. “Contrary to the RO’s decision, there is no ‘cognisance’ taken yet,” he added.He said EC has in the past overturned RO’s orders, like in Haryana where a nomination was being thrown out wrongly, and also in Gujarat. “We hope that EC realises that such an order creates a non-level playing field,” he added.Get the latest India news and live updates. Download the TOI App.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosTamil Nadu CM Vijay Holds Talks With Congress Top Brass In Delhi Amid New Political SpeculationPM Modi Marks Historic Tenure, Credits NDA’s 12-Year Journey For India’s TransformationMEA Condemns Oman Ship Attack As 21 Indians Rescued, Three Crew Members Still MissingAt NDA Conclave, PM Modi Contrasts Congress Era With ‘NDA’s Development Record’ | WatchYusuf Pathan, Shatrughan Sinha, Sayoni Ghosh Among 19 MPs In Rebel Camp | WatchFrom Himanta To Bhupender: Are BJP Leaders Accelerating The TMC Rebellion?Pakistan Army Mi-17 Helicopter Crashes Near Muzaffarabad, All On Board Killed | WatchTMC Denies Congress Merger Buzz After Mamata-Sonia, Rahul-Abhishek Meetings | WatchAI-171 Victims’ Families Question Claim Waivers Before Probe Ends; Air India Denies PressureAfter Weeks In Captivity, 14 Freed In Manipur, Search Intensifies For Six Missing Men123PhotostoriesExclusive – Rubina Dilaik recalls hiding her pregnancy during a Punjabi film shoot, talks about mom guilt and motherhood; says, ‘My nose would start bleeding on set due to the extreme heat’6 subtle habits that make people lose respect for you, as per psychologistWhich quality makes others jealous of you? find out based on your birth date7 meaningful ways to celebrate your child’s biggest momentsYou don’t need a Gout attack to have high Uric Acid: The subtle symptoms doctors don’t want you to ignoreFrom Vinod Kambli to Virat Kohli; famous cricketers who own luxurious properties in Mumbai’s premium neighbourhoodsFrom brightening creams to face serums: Why men’s skincare is finally having its moment in IndiaAll about ‘How to Train Your Dragon 2’ live-action cast: From Cate Blanchett to Mason ThamesSleeping enough but still tired? These vitamin deficiencies could explain whyMark Zuckerberg’s $300 million superyacht Launchpad: Why everyone is talking about the ‘big boat’123Hot PicksSourth Africa ShootingBharathirajaDelhi hotel fireAshok MuralidaranFIFA World Cup ScheduleKarnataka Trader NewsHector PennKerala Plus One ResultTNEA Random NumberTop TrendingBAN vs AUS Live ScoreUS Iran warGold Rate TodayFIFA World Cup 2026Delhi Hotel FireChennai TNSTC BusMeerut Conversion CaseBareilly NewsFilmmaker Bharathiraja DeathKarnataka Murder
New Delhi: Slamming the rejection of the nomination form of Meenakshi Natarajan, Congress told Election Commission Wednesday that there is no criminal case pending against the Rajya Sabha nominee, and urged it to overturn the returning officer’s order in MP.“It is like saying two plus two is seven, not even five. It is an egregious, unlawful order, and it should be set aside immediately,” Abhishek Singhvi said, adding that the RO’s order strikes at the heart of democracy and the Constitution.
No criminal case, EC can overturn RO order as in past cases: Singhvi
An AICC delegation led by general secretary K C Venugopal, lawyer-MPs Singhvi, Vivek Tankha, and Randeep Surjewala, among others, met EC.Singhvi said EC has powers under Article 324 of the Constitution to overturn the RO’s order, and it should be done immediately.The top lawyer said Section 33(A) of the Representation of People’s Act states that a candidate has to disclose only those cases that have a punishment of over two years and in which the charges have been framed, adding that charges are framed by a judge in the judicial process. In case of Natarajan, Singhvi said it is a private complaint which can be baseless, and which the magistrate may or may not take cognisance of. “Natarajan has just received a notice to come to the court and tell why cognisance should not be taken,” he added.The Rajya Sabha MP said without cognisance, no criminal case exists in law. He said subsequently, there has to be a chargesheet and then charges have to be framed. “Contrary to the RO’s decision, there is no ‘cognisance’ taken yet,” he added.He said EC has in the past overturned RO’s orders, like in Haryana where a nomination was being thrown out wrongly, and also in Gujarat. “We hope that EC realises that such an order creates a non-level playing field,” he added.
